Photo Courtesy of Sports Information
By Carly Mersky, Staff Writer
Senior Nevin Hoenninger is a biology major with a religious studies minor and is a shooting guard on the women’s basketball team. She is from Lancaster, Pa.
In Hoenninger’s free time, she likes to draw, paint or do anything art-related.
She started playing basketball because both her older brothers played. “I would always shoot with them in our driveway when we were younger, and I really enjoyed it, so my dad decided to sign me up to play,” she said.
“It was really the only sport I played,” Hoenninger said, “I did dance and gymnastics for a short time as well, but as soon as I started playing basketball, I decided to just focus on that.”
Luka Doncic is her favorite basketball player. “He might not be the fastest or most athletic player, but he uses his court vision and high basketball IQ to create plays for himself and his teammates,” she said.
What drew Hoenninger to the basketball team here at Susquehanna was at first, just the school. As a smaller school, she knew that it would challenge her in the classroom, and she would feel comfortable. “What made the final decision was that I had the opportunity to continue being an athlete,” she said.
“Some of my favorite memories have been spending time off the court with the team. I always enjoyed our team dinners after practice or hanging out in the locker room before practice or a game,” Hoenninger said.
If Hoenninger could relive any game, it would be the team’s last home game that they had against Drew University last year. “It was such a close game,” she said, “To pull off the win as a team on our home court was a great feeling.”
Hoenninger said that being a student-athlete for four years has taught her discipline.
“At times managing it all may seem difficult, but now I realize the discipline of being a student-athlete has prepared me to take on challenges,” she said.
If Hoenninger could give her freshman self advice she would say, “Don’t be afraid to step up and believe in yourself more.”
What Hoenninger is going to miss the most about Susquehanna is just being with her teammates all the time. “It will be hard to adjust not seeing them everyday anymore because you spend so much time with them. They become your second family.”
Her favorite quote is, “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying”by Michael Jordan.
